Butterfly Sanctuary Mariposario Jardin Magico — Attraction in Jalisco

There is a quiet kind of magic at the Butterfly Sanctuary in Puerto Vallarta — a world where butterflies drift like living jewels and nature hums with life all around you.

The tour was not only beautiful but deeply educational, teaching us about the butterflies’ delicate life cycles, the native plants that sustain them, and the quiet miracles unfolding around every leaf and petal. The sanctuary feels like stepping into a hidden garden, a place where wonder is still alive.

Being here was a powerful reminder of how fragile — and how precious — the natural world truly is. In a time when environmental protections are being threatened and education funding is being cut, spaces like this, and the knowledge they safeguard, are more vital than ever. Learning about the fragile ecology that supports life — and experiencing its beauty firsthand — makes you realize just how urgently we must protect it, and how connected we are to every living thing around us.

A few tips: • The sanctuary is tucked away in a remote area, with very limited cell phone service. I highly recommend arranging transportation ahead of time for both arrival and departure. (Our guide, incredibly kind, let us borrow his hotspot to call an Uber, which we paid for in cash.) • Wear closed-toed shoes! Among the beauty, some less-welcome critters — like spiders and scorpions — live alongside the butterflies! A little preparation will make your visit more comfortable.

If you have a heart for nature, for wonder, and for learning, this sanctuary is a treasure — a living, breathing reminder of the beauty we are...

We loved it. It's a good activity for young & old if you are interested in nature. We went in March & it was very dry. I see others photos of lush growth; they must be from the fall.

The guided tour really added to our experience, I wouldn't do it otherwise. Our guide was Fabien & he was very knowledgeable, smart, eloquent & kind. We had an older visitor in our group & Fabien carried a chair along with our group in case she got tired. So kind!

We liked that our admission fee supports the sanctuary rather than profit.

The sanctuary grows native plants to support each species of butterfly. They release some native species to rebuild populations.

-Dogs are not allowed tho perhaps in a carrier would be ok. Fortunately I had someone to babysit my dog, as we bring her to Mexico with us, each year. The website mentions the reason for "no dogs" read it ask first. An obedient dog might be allowed to rest outside in the shade. -We did not see evidence of the café & it was not promoted. -There were a few snacks & drinks at the entrance area. -We took water with us. -There are washrooms on location. -Our admission was 270 pesos each, cash only. -We arrived without making a reservation for a group tour but waited a few minutes for another group to arrive & joined them. -We took a cab from Boucerios for under 500 pesos. -Fabien kindly called an iDrive car for us to return to Boucerios & it was about...

These butterfly gardens are likely this best kept secret in PV. They are off the beaten path on the edge of the city but really not that far from the airport. The garden started in 2019 but got side swiped by Covid like every other business and person in the world. I would highly recommend a visit. Our tour of the garden started at 10 am which we chose because it was extremely hot by noon at this time of year (Nov = 33 C daily). Fabian showed us around and he has more knowledge of Lepidoptera (Butterflies) than you can imagine. He told us fascinating tidbits like how to tell if a butterfly is a male or female, how many species there are in this area of Mexico, and showed us interesting things like chrysalis (butterfly pupae) that had been parasitisized by tiny wasps. There were lots of hands on demos and the whole area around the garden was boiling with butterflies. They were everywhere. Apparently a hurricane that hit PV a month before ripped the insect screen off the sheltered garden allowing everyone to escape and flooding the whole area. So even though the place had been hit hard, the butterflies were prolific and the spirits of the staff were excited and contagious. The world needs more people like Fabian and more places like Mariposa Jardins (the Butterfly Gardens) . Very highly recommended. Guaranteed to make you smile and forget...